


A Little Blood

by conceptstage



Series: Single Chapter Critical Role [51]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 08:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18407315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conceptstage/pseuds/conceptstage
Summary: Beau and Caleb get confronted in the street.





	A Little Blood

“Where was this library?” Beau asked, her hands on her hips in annoyance. She tapped her foot furiously and looked around at the dark streets, getting more and more frustrated. Caleb could feel in his bones that it was mid morning but it was black as pitch with only the twinkling stars for light. Several of the drow and orcs and goblins that passed them by gave them odd looks but seemed content to leave them alone.

“North.”

“North where?”

Caleb rolled his eyes and huffed, holding onto the back of her cloak so they didn't get separated. “I don't know, I can't see. Essik brought us south through the city, so the library is north. If you gave me your goggles I could probably get us there.”

She frowned and adjusted the goggles over her eyes. “No. They're mine.”

“I am not going to keep them. I will give them back when we get there.”

“I'm not stumbling after you through the dark like a loser. I'll find the damn library.”

“Hey!”

Both humans froze at the loud, hostile call. Beau followed the sound with her eyes and saw an orc and a drow marching towards them. She instantly grabbed Caleb's shoulder and shoved him back, stepping between them and him.

“Stay back. Could be trouble,” she whispered under her breath.

“Do not have to tell me twice,” he mumbled going through what spells he had on hand today. He couldn’t see a thing and considered throwing up some dancing lights, but held back. Any spell casting could seem threatening.

The drow came to stop in front of them, sneering with his arms crossed over his chest. The orc stopped behind him, puffing up her chest to appear intimidating. “Empire scum,” the drow hissed. “What are you doing here unshackled?”

Beau sneered back. “We're guests of the queen, so fuck off.”

“I highly doubt the Bright Queen would allow Empire spies to just run around in her capital city. So why don't you get the fuck out before I call the guards.”

“Do you have your badge?” Caleb whispered.

“No, they're all still in the fucking haversack.”

“Stop whispering, scum!” The drow reached forward and grabbed Beau by the shirt.

Beau snarled into his face, suppressing every impulse that told her to fight back. They needed to have the Bright Queen's favor, beating up random citizens in the middle of the street was probably not the way to do it. “Look, we're not here to cause trouble.” Her fingers curled tightly into a fist and it took every ounce of self control to keep them at her sides.

“Too late. You are trouble. Humans have never brought anything but pain and misery to this land.”

Beau licked her lips and nodded, not breaking their eye contact for a second. “Fine. You know what? You wanna take a shot at me? Do it.”

The drow looked shocked and his grip on her shirt loosened. “What-?”

Caleb frowned and almost reached out to her, but his hand paused in the air.

“You probably lost someone, right? Killed by a human in the fighting? And now you’re staring at the first humans you’ve seen in years and they’re walking around like they fucking belong and that pisses you off. So you get one punch. I hope it makes you feel better cause if you go in for another one I’m gonna be fighting back like hell, so keep that in mind.”

The drow didn’t move for a moment and, for a split second, Caleb thought he might just walk away without taking Beau up on her offer. But then his fist reared back and he clocked her across the face. Beau’s head was thrown to the side and she instinctively held up both her fists in front of her but didn’t move to retaliate. She tasted blood in her mouth as she turned to head back around the meet the drow’s eyes.

“Hyrul,” The orc woman started, reaching out to put a large green hand on his shoulder.

The drow cleared his throat and released Beau’s shirt as bright red blood began dripping down from her busted lip. “Feel better?” she asked sardonically, reaching up to wipe at her mouth with the back of her hand.

The drow glared at her. “No.” Then he turned on his heel and marched away. The orc hesitated for a moment but then moved to follow him.

Beau watched them until they were gone before finally turning to look at Caleb. “Come on,” she said, moving north up the street. “Let’s go find the library.”

“Are you alright?” Caleb asked, scrambling to catch up and grab hold of the back of her cloak.

She shrugged. “Sure. Fine. It’s just a little blood.”

She had a look on her face that she might punch him if he asked too many questions so he tried to pick one good one as they walked through the darkness. “Was it a good punch?”

She started to smirk in amusement. “Wasn’t bad.”


End file.
